As we say farewell to 2023, a year that undeniably presented its share of challenges, we take the opportunity to reflect on the significant events and achievements of our partner civil society organizations. Over the year, our partners played a crucial role in securing international support for Ukraine, championing Euro-Atlantic integration, combatting corruption, aiding vulnerable populations, driving forward important institutional reforms, and much more.
In this first edition of our special year-end newsletter, we compiled the key accomplishments and events that have defined this year for us and our partners. Stay tuned for more highlights in our premier 2024 edition! Join us in this reflective journey, and may your holidays be peaceful and full of joy! See you in 2024!
****
- In 2023, ENGAGE provided support to 56 civil society organizations, facilitating the implementation of 82 projects with a total funding exceeding USD 13.5 million.
- Our partners played a crucial role during this time, offering essential assistance to 615,000 citizens and disbursing USD 5 million in emergency financial aid. Their efforts encompassed evacuations, medical support, access to food, shelter, education, and more, aiming to aid Ukrainians amid wartime challenges.
- Successful advocacy efforts resulted in 20 policy changes at both national and local levels, covering areas such as anticorruption, transparency, EU integration, inclusion, social cohesion, and civic education.
- Over the year, our partners conducted over 470 public events attended by almost 11,942 participants, including 8,193 unique participants. They also published over 4,200 analytical and media materials reaching over 51,1 million individuals contributing to a well-informed public discourse.
- The impact of ENGAGE and our partners extended globally, marked by 495 high-level international meetings and 633 appearances in international media. These efforts were instrumental in garnering increased political and humanitarian support for Ukraine.
- Notably, we hosted the inaugural Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Forum #ActForHeritage, bringing together voices from civil society, the cultural community, government, and international actors to launch a platform to preserve Ukraine’s rich cultural heritage. Our pilot photo verification project Providence implemented in partnership with Truepic and Anti-Corruption Headquarters, helped to identify the damages of 563 cultural objects and facilitated the opening of 10 criminal proceedings aimed at serving justice and facilitating future reconstruction.
- In addition to these initiatives, our traditional Civic Engagement Poll and the Corruption Perception and Experience Poll provided valuable insights into the needs of Ukrainians, empowering civil society actors with actionable data to better serve citizens.
*Information provided for the fiscal year 2023 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023)
****
Year in Review: ENGAGE Partners
- Within the “Tribunal for Putin” initiative, more than 20 civic organizations joined forces, documenting over 60,000 instances of international crimes committed by Russia’s military against Ukrainians. Additionally, they recorded more than 4,131 cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detention.
- Over 100 consultations were carried out as part of the Prisover’s Voice initiative, offering support to the families of civilians who fell victim to enforced disappearances and detentions during Russia’s aggression in Ukraine.
- The OZON civic monitoring group inspected 434 shelters across six cities: Shostka, Kyiv, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Lviv, and Lutsk.
- Produced a film titled “From Tens to Millions” recounting the history of the Volunteer Award and created the inaugural Ukrainian-English Human Rights Guide.
- Oleksandra Matviychuk, the leader of the CSO, was named among TIME’s 100 most influential people of 2023. She has also taken on the role of Ambassador for the “Human Rights” sector within the UN Global Compact in Ukraine.
****
Transparency International Ukraine
- In partnership with Ukrainian and international partners, successfully reinstated electronic declaration and secured the president’s veto on a law that could have distorted the e-declaration system.
- Analyzed over 100 legislative acts. Through 23 public statements, the CSO advocated for the reinstatement of e-declaration, the appointment of a qualified leader for the Agency for Investigation and Management of Assets, the approval of the State Anti-Corruption Program, and to refrain from holding elections during wartime. To ensure an effective anti-corruption policy, the CSO monitored competitions for key positions in anti-corruption bodies and analyzed nearly 100 candidate profiles.
- The “Transparent Cities” program by Transparency International Ukraine adapted its study on city transparency to wartime conditions, evaluating 70 cities. The program also introduced an updated methodology for the next assessment in 2024 and provided support to 22 cities through the Emergency Assistance Fund.
- In 2023, the DOZORRO project identified violations in over a thousand tenders, leading to 910 complaints and the initiation of 41 criminal proceedings.
- TIU launched the “How to Confiscate Russian Assets?” platform, detailing legal mechanisms for the confiscation of (pro)Russian assets, including stages, risks, and neutralization strategies. The platform also offers insights into the future fate of these assets.
****
National Interests Advocacy Network ANTS
- Launched the documentary project “Strong as the Earth,” portraying individuals who, despite the war, contribute to the vitality of the country. In 2023, the film was screened 35 times in cities across Ukraine and around the world, including Belgium, the United States, Poland, Slovakia, and Latvia.
- For the third time, ANTS implemented the “Youth Model of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly,” involving 230 students from 47 educational institutions in Ukraine.
- Launched “European Studies ANTS,” featuring 6 lectures and an educational course on Eurointegration topics. Nearly 2,400 participants are currently enrolled, with over 1,000 having received certificates upon successful completion.
- Organized HALLI 2.0 – Hackathon for Leadership in Local Innovations – an initiative focused on fostering leadership among civil society.
- Held the digital exhibition MAKE RUSSIA PAY in Brussels, aiming to narrate the losses suffered by Ukraine due to the war initiated by Russia. The exhibition is part of the global #MakeRussiaPay advocacy campaign.
****
- Promoted Eurointegration through expert contribution, conducting “Candidate Check,” an independent analytical monitoring of Ukraine’s implementation of EU recommendations. The successful implementation of these recommendations paved the way for the decision to commence accession negotiations later this year.
- Secured international support through expert diplomacy. The CSO representatives conducted numerous advocacy visits to EU member states, the US, Japan, and EU candidate countries, advocating for various issues, from the transfer of significant weaponry to Ukraine’s progress on the path to EU and NATO membership.
- Led an international campaign to invite Ukraine to NATO during the Vilnius Summit on July 11-12, 2023. The CSO played a pivotal role in initiating an appeal from Ukrainian civil society organizations to NATO leaders, signed by nearly 100 organizations. Additionally, NEC became the exclusive institutional partner of the NATO Public Forum in Ukraine, held during the summit. The NEC’s team also developed the “NATO Security Formula Plus,” with ideas that could influence future decisions regarding Ukraine.
****
Bohdan Hawrylyshyn Family Foundation
- Launched a mobile exhibition of illustrations titled the “Silent Festival of Responsibility,” displayed in 8 cities across Ukraine and internationally, attracting nearly 2 million views.
- Introduced the revamped “Youth Transforms Ukraine” program, involving 75 young participants to enhance civic engagement and improve the implementation quality of reconstruction projects, support for internally displaced persons in communities, and more.
- Promoted youth diplomacy in Ukraine by initiating the creation of the Basic Principles of Youth Diplomacy. Developed a foundational document outlining the challenges, goals, and principles of youth diplomacy. Actively participated in the“Youth Diplomat Award 2023” initiative, acknowledging outstanding cases of youth diplomacy.
- Relaunched applications for the Youth Delegates Program to the UN, selecting two delegates to represent Ukrainian youth at the UN General Assembly’s Third Committee in New York and the UNESCO Youth Forum in Paris.
- Revived the annual Responsibility Award format for recognizing civil society organizations. The award ceremony is scheduled for January 22, 2024.
****
Crimean Institute For Strategic Studies
- Hosted a roundtable at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, addressing the theme of “Preserving Ukraine’s Cultural Heritage Amid Conflict.”
- Introduced an updated bilingual website to keep the international audience informed about the status of protecting cultural sites in Ukraine’s temporarily occupied territories.
- Engaged actively in international conferences, spotlighting concerns regarding the conservation of cultural heritage.
- Documented approximately 300 cultural heritage sites impacted by Russia’s aggression.
- Published expert articles focusing on safeguarding Ukraine’s cultural heritage and highlighting violations in temporarily occupied territories.
****
- Ukrainian Toronto Television (UTT) increased viewership, reaching 78,6 million views by December 21, up from 74.6 million in 2022.
- Gathered over USD 1,8 million to back various social, volunteer, and charitable initiatives, including contributions to the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
- Subscribers contributed 13% of the annual budget for its statutory activities.
****
- Provided humanitarian aid, including essential goods, hygiene items, medications, food, and more, totaling over USD 11,8 million. This support reached all controlled regions of Ukraine, aiding civilians affected by the ongoing war.
- Successfully reconstructed housing for 345 families through the “Rebuild – VHC” project, addressing the aftermath of occupation and war.
- Launched the social enterprise “MYLANKA,” producing household goods with 100% of proceeds contributing to VHC initiatives and supporting various charitable projects.
- Implemented the “Civilian First Aid Kit” project, delivering over 300 boxes of vital medications to frontline healthcare facilities. These supplies were distributed free of charge to the civilian population.
****
- Enhanced socio-emotional skills of children and youth: conducted the field stage of the international Social-Emotional Skills Research involving 196 educational institutions and 10,612 participants. Also, signed a memorandum outlining 12 areas of collaboration for shaping these skills in students.
- Expanded the Socio-Emotional and Ethical Education (SEEE) program in Ukraine. Hosted two waves of online programs, “Introduction to SEEE,” with 901 participants, and three waves of training sessions involving 306 individuals from 153 educational institutions. Recognized as the 2023 ambassador by the Institute of Resilience for contributions to disseminating resilience-enhancing methodologies.
- Developed the educational platform POVIR, offering free lessons in specific disciplines and individual mentorship for students with a focus on the socio-emotional component.
- Presented the updated professional development opportunities platform, EdWay. Currently, 43,336 educators are registered on the platform.
- Hosted the national (non)conference EdCamp VOLYA-2023 in a hybrid format, bringing together 160 participants offline and over 2,000 online. Additionally, organized 7 waves of 36 regional (non)conferences, resulting in the professional development of 5,870 teachers.
****